Day 772: Corner mate
Target rating: 1648
Lesson of the day
The corner mate catches a king driven into the corner, where it has only three neighboring squares — all of them taken away or blocked. The corner is the worst home for a king, because the attacker needs to control the fewest squares there. Herd the king toward the corner with checks and never let it slip back toward the center. Cut off the escape routes before the final check, and the mate practically assembles itself.
Warm-up
1. Mate in 3: queen to d4 (e3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to g3 (h2·34)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: queen to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: queen to f8 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (f3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: pawn to f3Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: queen to b8 (d6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: queen to c7 (d8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to c6 (f3·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: queen to d6 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 2: queen to e8 (h5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: knight to e7 (g6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: knight to b6 (d5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: rook to b5 (d5·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: rook to g5 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: queen to a6 (a3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to g7 (d4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Winning blow: queen to c6 (a8·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: rook to f7 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to d7 (d6·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: queen to e7 (a3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: knight to d5 (b4·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: queen to g8 (h7·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Winning blow: queen to g7 (b2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: knight to b6 (d5·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 773 →